Russia warns Israel of serious consequences, Biden has a "bad night", Philippines hopes for the best with China

The Hungarian Prime Minister's first visit to Kiev after more than two years of conflict in Ukraine, the situation in the East Sea, the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula, the Democrats' concerns about US President Joe Biden's position after the first live debate... are some of the day's outstanding international events.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (left) meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, July 2. (Source: AP)

Europe

* Israel must be ready to face serious consequences if it continues to implement plans to supply Ukraine with US-made air defense systems, according to Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Vassily Nebenzia.

Mr. Nebenzia said that this move could seriously affect relations between Israel and Russia, especially in the context of Moscow assuming the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council.

“I believe that this decision will of course have serious political consequences. The weapons, regardless of who sent them to Ukraine, will eventually be destroyed, just like other Western and American weapons. That is obvious,” the Russian diplomat stressed. (RT)

* Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Ukraine for the first time since Russia launched a special military operation in Hungary's eastern neighbor in February 2022.

The visit took place on the morning of July 2, just one day after Hungary officially assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).

In Kiev, Prime Minister Orban met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior officials to discuss the chances of achieving peace for Ukraine and current issues in bilateral relations. (AP)

* The Netherlands is moving forward with the delivery of the first batch of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine: In a letter to the Dutch Parliament, Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren said that licenses to supply aircraft to Kiev have been granted.

However, for security reasons, she declined to specify the number of planes in the first batch and when the planes would be delivered to Ukraine. (Reuters)

* The US has allocated a $2 billion credit line for Poland to purchase missile and air defense weapons from Washington, according to an announcement by the Polish Ministry of Defense.

This is the second loan granted by the US government to Warsaw in recent times. The Polish military did not disclose the details of the loan, saying only that it was signed on “very favorable financial terms.” (PAP)

America

* US reassures allies after President Biden's debate performance: Speaking at the Brookings Institution on July 1, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended President Joe Biden's position on the international stage after the White House boss's unconvincing performance in the live debate with former President Donald Trump on June 28.

“It was just a bad night,” Mr. Blinken said. “If you look at surveys around the world, you see time and time again that confidence in American leadership has increased dramatically over the last three and a half years. That’s a result of our choices, our policies, our play.”

The US Secretary of State also said that surveys show President Biden's leadership role in all areas. (Politico)

* Mr. Donald Trump enjoys absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for acts within the scope of his duties while in office, but not for acts in his personal capacity.

The ruling, issued on July 1, marks the first time since the country's founding in the 18th century that the US Supreme Court has declared that former presidents can be protected from criminal charges in all cases.

President Joe Biden warned that the ruling sets a "dangerous precedent" that Trump will exploit if elected in November, as the decision "almost certainly means there are no limits to what the president can do." (AFP)

* The risk of a coup in Bolivia remains looming because of its huge reserves of lithium and other natural resources, according to the country's Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa.

Noting that Bolivia is “a country with a lot of wealth, so the attempt to seize power by force to gain benefits is real”, Ms. Sosa stressed the need for “extreme vigilance”.

In addition, according to Foreign Minister Sosa, the Bolivian people are “very conscious” in not allowing the coup plotted by the dismissed army commander, General Juan José Zúñiga, on June 26. (EFE)

* Venezuela has agreed to restart direct negotiations with the United States , according to an announcement by the South American country's President Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking in a weekly broadcast on Monday on the official Venezolana de Television, Mr. Maduro said: “On July 10, negotiations will resume with the US government so that they comply with the agreements signed in Qatar.”

Asia-Pacific

* Philippines hopes for meeting with China : Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo is “hoping for the best” as diplomats from China arrive in Manila for a meeting under the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCM) today, July 2.

The meeting took place amid disputes over the South China Sea, with Manalo describing Manila’s relationship with Beijing as “unstable,” while his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi said the two countries were at a “crossroads” in their bilateral relationship.

Earlier, speaking before a Philippine Senate committee, Mr. Manalo stated: "We have made every effort to bring China back to the negotiating table to resolve our differences." (Rappler)

* Japan wants to establish a "sister army" with the Philippines: The Fleet Defense Command of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is studying the mechanism to establish a "sister army" with the Philippine Navy.

In a speech on July 1, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Fleet Commander Satoshi Saito said that the Philippines made the above proposal when participating as an observer at a meeting between fleet commanders of Japan, the US, Australia and South Korea on May 10.

“This is very effective in strengthening the relationship with the Philippine Navy and we hope that this relationship will be established as soon as possible,” Mr. Satoshi emphasized. (Global Times)

* North Korea launches missile, South Korea resumes artillery drills at land border: On July 2, North Korean media reported that the country had test-launched a new tactical ballistic missile Hwasong-11Da-4.5 capable of carrying a super-large warhead a day earlier.

The test was conducted with a missile equipped with a simulated heavy warhead to verify flight stability and accuracy of hitting a target at a maximum range of 500 km and a minimum range of 90 km. Pyongyang will conduct another missile test this month.

On the same day, South Korea resumed live-fire drills at artillery sites near the border with North Korea for the first time in six years. The drills involved K9 and K105A1 self-propelled guns, taking place at frontlines in Kyunggi and Gangwon provinces. (Yonhap, KCNA)

* Malaysia is ready to cooperate with Indonesia in UN-mandated peacekeeping missions, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on his personal Facebook page, after a phone call with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

Mr. Anwar said that Kuala Lumpur is ready to cooperate with Jakarta to send peacekeeping forces to Gaza if authorized by the United Nations, and mentioned the possibility of expanding this cooperation to the regional level of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The two leaders also discussed Mr. Prabowo's role in representing Indonesia on the international stage recently, as well as his efforts in promoting regional and global vision, cooperation and peace. (CNA)

* Chinese President Xi Jinping paid an official visit to Kazakhstan on July 2 to attend the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and pay a state visit to the Central Asian country.

In an article published by the media, President Xi Jinping said that China "stands ready to join hands with Kazakhstan in the face of the historic changes taking place in the world and our times."

China will work with Kazakhstan to uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and act in true multilateralism, he affirmed.

According to the leader, Beijing and Astana will join hands "to build an equal and orderly multipolar world, promote comprehensive and globally beneficial economic globalization, and bring more positivity and certainty to world peace and stability." (Kazinform)

* Australian Prime Minister refuses to attend NATO Summit: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has decided not to attend the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Washington, instead sending a delegation led by Defense Minister Richard Marles.

The decision comes after Prime Minister Albanese had not received confirmation of a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden ahead of the summit. The Prime Minister's Office advised him not to go to avoid controversy. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Middle East

* Iran threatens to continue attacking Israel, pledges support for Hezbollah : Commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that Tehran is ready to carry out another major attack on Israel when "conditions are ripe".

Hajizadeh said Iran wanted the opportunity to carry out the second version of Operation True Promise - the code name given by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the IRGC leadership to the April 13 attack on Israel in response to the airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. The attack involved at least 300 missiles and drones.

Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Khamenei's adviser Kamal Kharrazi said that all members of the "axis of resistance" would support the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon in any way in the event of a conflict with Israel.

He also stressed that Tehran called on the US to put pressure on Israel to prevent further escalation, noting that war is not in anyone's interest - not Iran or the US. (Tasnim)

* Russia accuses the US coalition of violating Syrian airspace: On July 1, Deputy Director of the Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria under the Russian Defense Ministry Yuri Popov said that an MQ-9 Reaper drone of the US-led coalition "dangerously" approached a Russian An-30 fighter jet in the airspace of Homs province, Syria.

According to him, the Russian pilot showed high professionalism and promptly handled the situation to avoid a collision. (TASS)

Africa

* Ethiopia-Somalia seek to ease diplomatic tensions: On July 1, Somali media reported that Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and his Ethiopian counterpart Taye Atske Selassie were in the Turkish capital Ankara to resolve and seek ways to ease ongoing diplomatic tensions.

The meeting between the two sides was held after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on January 1, 2024 between Ethiopia and Somaliland caused much controversy and strained relations between Ethiopia and Somalia.

Under the MoU, Ethiopia gets to take over a major naval base for 50 years in exchange for diplomatic recognition of Somaliland, a source of controversy, especially for Somalia, which does not recognize Somaliland as an independent state.

The deal has increased tensions between the two neighbors, requiring diplomatic intervention.

The talks in Turkey are expected to provide a platform for both sides to express their concerns, explore common ground and work towards a mutually beneficial solution. The outcome of the meeting is expected to have far-reaching implications for stability and cooperation in the Horn of Africa. (Daily Sabah)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-27-nga-canh-bao-israel-cac-hau-qua-nghiem-trong-dem-toi-te-cua-ong-biden-philippines-mong-dieu-tot-dep-cung-trung-quoc-277174.html